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A group of Catholic leaders urged fellow Catholics in Congress to set aside partisan bickering and support the U.S. bishops' efforts on behalf of a comprehensive immigration reform, calling it a sanctity of life issue and an important step in building a culture of life.

"Our nation's inhumane and flawed immigration policies leave migrant women, children and families abandoned by the side of the road," the group said in a letter released Tuesday, two days before the anniversary of the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion.

Among the signers of the letter were the presidents of several Catholic universities, bishops, men and women religious, former staff members at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, and the heads of various institutes and social action agencies.

"As Cardinal Sean O'Malley put it in a homily at the U.S.-Mexico border last year: 'We know that the border is lined with unmarked graves of thousands who die alone and nameless,' " the letter said.

"Immigration is 'another pro-life issue,' the cardinal reminds us, echoing our Holy Father Pope Francis, who views abortion, extreme economic inequality and the death of migrants as part of a 'globalization of indifference' and a 'throwaway culture' that treats human beings as disposable," it said.

The signers noted that there are more than two dozen pro-life Catholics in the House of Representatives, saying that "many of them will join thousands of people of faith, including some of us, at the March for Life in Washington" on Thursday.

"As brothers and sisters in faith, we urge these elected officials and all Catholics to defend the sanctity of human lives at all stages," the letter said. "We recognize the image of God in the migrant at the border, in the prisoner on death row, in the pregnant woman and in the hungry child."

On Jan. 14, the House voted 236 to 191 to block funding for President Barack Obama's executive orders on immigration, which included deferring deportations for millions of people who are in the country illegally.

The bill included an amendment to cut off funding for the president's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, known as DACA.

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Catholic lawmakers urged to back immigration reform as pro-life issue

Advocates for immigration reform have one more thing to be thankful for this year. After many political ups and downs, President Barack Obama made an executive order on immigration reform. And just in time for the holidays.

Families have been separated from loved ones due to their illegal status. Growing up in a primarily immigrant Latino community, I have seen my friends, who were born in the U.S., lose their parents to deportation over a traffic violation. My parents have helped try to bring parents back to their children as pastors in the community. When immigrant parents are deported the children become, "American orphans that the government orphaned, according to "The Stranger," a documentaryby the Evangelical Immigration Table.

The NationalLatino Evangelical Coalition(NaLEC) is a national coalition that advocates for immigration reform, education and against poverty based on biblical principles. This coalition strives to love people and pursue justice and has been a voice to the voiceless. NaLEC is moving forward to help immigrants become familiar with Obamas new plan.

Obama said he believes the immigration system is broken. He proposed to grant a faster process for DREAMers, children who were brought here illegally by their parents, to gain citizenship by going to college or joining the Armed Forces for two years. The president wants to reunite families and create a provisional legal status for immigrants willing to comply with regulations, such as pass criminal background checks and pay a penalty.

I'm glad Obama decided to make an executive decision on immigration reform. This has given hope to many undocumented immigrants who have been living in this country for more than 10 years. If you would like to advocate for immigration reform, join the cause at http://www.nalec.org.

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Now thats justice: Thankful for change

Midpoint | Michael Cutler discusses findings from 9/11 reports
Michael Cutler: Retired INS agent joins MidPoint to talk about his opinion that findings from 9/11 reports should factor into the discussion on immigration reform.

By: NewsmaxTV

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Midpoint | Michael Cutler discusses findings from 9/11 reports - Video

Mark Levin On Immigration Reform: Nothing Reformist About It
The Mark Levin Show http://www.marklevinshow.com/ CNS News http://www.cnsnews.com/

By: yazchat

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Mark Levin On Immigration Reform: Nothing Reformist About It - Video

LATE last year President Obama used his executive authority to break the political stalemate on immigration reform. This is welcome news for Washington states communities and families, including industries particularly agriculture that depend on immigrant labor.

Under the presidents Deferred Action for Parental Accountability program, immigrants in the country illegally and without criminal records who can prove that they have lived and worked in the United States for five years will be able to apply for temporary legal status and the authorization to work legally for up to three years.

This spring, about 5 million immigrants without documents nearly half of the estimated total living in the U.S., including some 77,000 in our state may finally be able to stop hiding in plain sight, at least temporarily, and begin to contribute fully to our economy and society.

In Seattle, on the eve of the presidents announcement, a mother without documents named Lisette bravely stood side-by-side with U.S. Rep. Adam Smith, D-Bellevue, and Seattle Mayor Ed Murray and described what this announcement could mean for her and her family.

After having kept her legal status a secret from even her children, Lisette stepped forward and envisioned a time in the near future when she would be able to find a job she is qualified for and live without the persistent fear that at any time she could be detained, deported and torn from her loved ones.

The presidents actions were in direct response to pressure from immigrant communities nationwide, dismayed by inaction on comprehensive immigration reform in Congress. After more than a year of debate and false starts, the U.S. House took no action on its own version of a bipartisan bill that passed the U.S. Senate in 2013. That came despite numerous assertions that congressional leaders made including the House Republican Conference Chairwoman, U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Spokane that they personally agreed with the need for reform.

This failure demonstrated that the reins of Congress and the national Republican Party were in the hands of a hard-line minority bent on blocking any sensible, long-term solutions that would compassionately deal with the 11 million immigrants living in the United States without legal status.

This trend continued last week when House Republicans added several amendments to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security spending bill to try to repeal the presidents actions. While these amendments are unlikely to survive the Senate, the House also voted to strip temporary legal status granted by the president in 2012 to more than 500,000 undocumented children who came here as minors and are already pursuing educational opportunities and contributing to our economy. This last measure was more than what 26 Republicans, including U.S. Rep. Dave Reichert, R-Auburn, could stomach.

On Thursday, the U.S. District Court in Texas heard a lawsuit brought by 25 states controlled by Republican executives challenging deferred action, claiming that the policy would create an undue burden on state governments. But the presidents Council of Economic Advisers estimates that the suite of actions taken by the president could grow Washingtons economy by up to $5.1 billion over the next 10 years, and could raise the wages of each U.S.-born worker by up to $170 a year. This economic growth could increase revenue to Washington state by $57 million over the next five years.

Last Monday, Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson spearheaded a national legal brief defending the presidents actions in court, and King County Sheriff John Urquhart and Seattle Police Chief Kathleen OToole joined a separate legal brief arguing that the presidents action would improve public safety by allowing local law-enforcement agencies to strengthen trust in immigrant communities.

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Guest: Congress must prove it can govern, beginning with immigration reform